Migration/Homing

Question 1

Homing

Answer 1

The ability of an organism to find its way back to a specific area, often home. They tend to do this via landmark navigation.

Question 2

Migration*

Answer 2

Migration is the regular mass movement of organisms of the same species, usually on a seasonal basis and typically to a predetermined location. Requires high energy, however, the benefits will always outweigh the costs.

Question 3

Magnetic Navigation

Answer 3

Some animals are able to detect the earth’s magnetic field and use it to navigate, it helps them know which way is north.

Question 4

Stellar Navigation

Answer 4

An animal traveling at night may use stellar navigation to navigate. In some cases, animals move in relation to the constellations (requires an internal clock to account for the movement of the stars), or they move in relation to a celestial pole.

Question 5

Solar Navigation

Answer 5

As the sun moves from east to west some animals are able to use its position in the sky to navigate. However, over long journeys, the animal must have an internal clock to account for the movement of the sun across the sky.

Question 6

Landmark Navigation

Answer 6

Animals may rely on familiar landmarks to navigate, and some animals may rely on familiar smells for navigation. For example, some animals leave a trail of a smell so they can follow it to find their way back to their destination.

Question 7

Ocean Current Navigation

Answer 7

Some animals can use the ocean currents to navigate to their destination, by either swimming with the currents or deliberately against the currents.